2-Week Vacation (4)

Poni popped in out of nowhere, said her piece, and vanished just like that. Thanks to the bizarre ability she left behind called a mission, I couldn't sleep a wink afterward, flipping through the mission list obsessively. Before I knew it, time flew by and dawn broke.

The first one up, as expected, was my mother-in-law.

"Oh my, you're up so early?"

"Good morning. Sleep well?"

"Yeah."

I got up from the sofa and started heading toward her, but she waved me off.

"Hold on a sec! Let me wash up first."

"You're pretty even now. No need."

"Aish! Cut the smooth talk."

She dashed into the bathroom to freshen up. Her slightly puffy face was kinda cute, which was a shame.

"Tch."

I settled back obediently on the sofa and scrolled through my favorited missions in the list. It was way too long to go through everything, but ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠there were plenty I could actually pull off. Clearing all these would net me a total of 130,000 coins.

With 130k coins, I could snag everything in my shopping cart.

The must-buy 110k-coin item!

It looked like a pair of glasses, but wearing them reduced your presence, making people overlook you. Basically, a perception-lowering gadget. But that wasn't its only trick—or I wouldn't shell out 110k for it.

These glasses let you change your face to whatever you wanted. You could tweak your appearance, even your body, to match your ideal look. Marketed for spy infiltration, but I had no need for that. Hiding my identity? Perfect.

Snagging this would let me break free from my current mess in one shot.

But when the hell am I gonna knock all these out?

I figured I'd start with the easy ones. I tapped into one mission for details.

There was a huge variety, and while the rewards were a bit meh, most were doable—no reason not to clear them.

That's when my mother-in-law emerged from the bathroom, towel-drying her damp hair.

"Hungry? I'll make breakfast."

"I'm good. Come sit here instead."

Pat pat! I tapped the sofa cushion next to me.

"How much more are you trying to fatten me up?"

"Whoa, did that make you uncomfortable?"

"Not uncomfortable—just don't play the mom role for Jua noona so much."

"Huh?"

Instead of explaining, I lay back and rested my head in her lap.

"What if Jua wakes up?"

"She's out for a while. Relax. And if she does, whatever. Oh, right—I've got plans today, so I gotta head out early. If she sleeps in, tell her I said bye."

"Coming back tonight?"

"Dunno. Probably head straight to the dorm after."

"You could stay longer..."

"Five days already—that's plenty. You're low-key uncomfortable with me around."

Five days was a long stretch. With time running out on vacation, I needed to hustle through my plans—and missions.

"No way! It's been great."

Her face was glowing, so yeah, she probably enjoyed having me around. Feasting on my spirit energy and all.

I lounged in her lap, enjoying the morning, then scarfed down some toast and milk before heading out.

Mother-in-law's lap is the best!

Honestly, my face was probably shinier than hers after all that spirit energy. Flirting nonstop with Jua noona, chowing down on mom-in-law's cooking, and sneaking into her room at dawn to blow off steam—pure bliss.

Heaven wasn't far away.

From now on, my dream is to succeed as an idol, retire clean, and build a picture-perfect house with my earnings. Then live the fantasy life with my women!

Of course, that was still a pipe dream. I was just a rookie idol with nothing to my name.

I wasn't leaving Jua noona's house just for missions, but I planned to grind them out while I could.

First up: name the baby. No worries about deciding solo—Jua noona was bummed about not registering him officially, so I offered to name him. Two birds, one stone, plus coins.

His surname has to be Nam, like mother-in-law's.

Nam Jeonghwa. Our kid would be Nam-something. When we fixed the registry later, he'd take my Jin surname, so I needed a name that wouldn't clash.

"Nam Hae-ah? Jin Hae-ah? Too on-the-nose? Screams 'Jin Haesol + Jua'."

Maybe pros should name him for his future's sake. But I gave it my best shot.

For becoming 'dad.'

After agonizing, I settled on: Nam Huiwon. Jin Huiwon.

The moment I decided in my mind:

"So that's how it displays."

Treat coins like gift certificates—they didn't merge with sex-earned ones, shown separately. Perfect for me. No point wasting stat-up coins on items.

Poni said the higher-ups watch my stat growth. Real power's in abilities, not items.

Missions mentioned 'dragons' and 'beastkin,' hinting this world wasn't everything. But I didn't care about other realms.

Getting tangled would just be a hassle.

Plenty of fantasy already—no thanks to more.

Ding~

"Hey! Miss me?"

"Joanna!"

I jumped up and hugged her tight. Was gonna meet Ahyun or Boksun noona first, but Joanna hounded me for five days straight—had to see her now.

She was so insistent it couldn't wait.

"Missed you tons. Why so busy? Avoiding me?"

"No way. Schedules were killer."

"If not for Muse, I'd have dumped you."

"For real?"

"Hehe, nah. How could I dump you? Waste just looking."

"So you nagged just 'cause you missed me? Or something else? You're staying here—why rush? Feels like you're hiding stuff."

Her nuance screamed secrets. I'd clocked it ages ago.

"Sharp as ever, Muse."

"Knew it. Spill—what?"

This tomboy was scheming, and I was dying to know.

"Listen, Muse~! One favor?"

"Hit me. If I can, sure—but no promises till I hear it."

Truth: I'd do anything doable. But some requests are dicey.

"Um... might piss you off, but hear out my friend? You're kind, big-hearted."

Am I? Tilted my head but nodded.

"Stop stalling—it's freaking me out. What's the favor?"

"Eung~ Sleep with my friend."

"...Pardon?"

"Sex. Sex." She made a coin shape with her fingers and slid her ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠long index in and out.

I frantically grabbed her hand before anyone saw and shoved it down.

"What the hell outta nowhere? Explain!"

Sex with her friend?! Cultural gap again? Gender reversal! When do I adapt...!!!

"It's May Lin, the photographer from the pictorial."

"...God no. You're telling her to sleep with me?"

Ice queen who could snow in summer. Decent looks by ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠this world's standards, but banging a glacier? Couldn't picture it.

"She cool with it, or you pushing solo?"

"May doesn't know yet."

"Then nope. Sorry, can't."

"Ehh? Reject off the bat?"

"Even if she asked, maybe! How'd you even think of this nonsense?"

"She hit a slump after shooting you!"

Slump? My fault?

"Others shot too."

"But you're the cause. She saw a photo you weren't in—and despaired."

"What photo?"

"One where you look insanely good. You'd agree. Hasn't touched her camera since—says she'll never top it."

Ridiculous!?? Something huge happened with May Lin unknown to me. But why fix a slump with sex? No logic.

I explained my doubt; she burst out laughing.

"'Cause that's how I beat mine!"

Personal story??

"Knew the answer pre-slump, so easy. Without sex with you, I'd have tanked too. You're lethal to artists."

"Sex with you unlocked better designs?"

"Yup. Told you why I chased you. Brain went blank—no inspo. Post-sex? Flooded again. May'll snap out too."